Vehicle-wheel.



A; H. TOWLE.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION IILED.APR. 2Q, 1907. v

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

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MOGRAPH WAS? NBYON D C UNITED sTArns ARLEN HARVEY TOVI'LE, OF LANSING,MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARLEN H. TowLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheels, and moreparticularly to automobile wheels, and its objects are: First, toprovidethe maximum of resiliency and at the same time dispense with theuse of pneumatic tires. Second, to provide a vehicle wheel with whichthe spoke may be easily removed from its connection with the felly orrim for the purpose of adjusting the springs, or other means ofproducing resiliency, without affecting the general construction of thewheel or affecting any spoke except the one being removed. Third, toprovide a means for facilitating traction when traveling in sand orother soft soil, and, fourth, to provide a means for firmly securing thespokes in place when the wheel is properly assembled. I attain theseobjects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing inwhich Figure l is a sectional elevation of a wheel on the line of Fig.2, showing the position of the spiral spring in the rim, Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of thesame showing the spoke disconnected from the rim and dropped down sothat the spring shown in Fig. 1 may be readily removed.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the rim of the wheel, which is composed of two annular rimsso constructed that one will rest upon each edge, and lap over upon theperiphery of the felly D, where they are firmly clamped to place, andthe completed rim is provided with lateral grooves a a arranged toreceive the projecting edges 0 0 of the hard rubber tire C, all as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, to hold this tire firmly to place. The rim A has anauxiliary rim or felly D that is provided with inwardly projectingthimbles that are screw threaded on the outer surface to receive theinternally threaded upper end of the spoke E, as indicated at D, E inFig. 1.

For the purpose of producing the desired resiliency in the rim of thewheel I place an annular steel tire I in the rim under the hard rubbertire C, which tire, acting alone Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 29, 1907.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

Serial No. 371,017.

under the rubber tire, would give resiliency to the wheel in much thesame manner that a barrel hoop will rebound if pressure is placed uponthe top surface of the periphery with the. lower surface resting on theground, and to increase and sustain this resiliency I place a series ofspiral or conical springs, as H, upon a partition 6 in the spoke E withthe opposite end pressing strongly against the lower or inner surface ofthe steel tire I, so that an equal tension is exercised upon the innersurface of this tire opposite the ends of each spoke in the wheel. Ihave cut the rim and tire of the wheel away at z a in Fig. 2 to show aside view of the connection between the spring H and the tire I.

J represents the hub of a wheel, K, the end of the axletree and F is aflange extending out from the hub. The flange F is hollow and has athimble G radiating from it wherever a spoke is to be placed. Thesethimbles are screw threaded in their inner surface, to mesh with thethreads 6 in the outer surface of the lower end of the spokes E, so thatthe spoke may be screwed down. as indicated in Fig. 3, low enough todisconnect the upper end E from the thimble D and leave sutficient spacebetween the two to allow the spring H to be readily removed orreinserted, or other repairs to be made adjacent to the thimbles D.

The appliance for facilitatin travel in sand or other soft soil consistsof a serrated or notched tire or rim, B, either integral with, or shrunkupon the rim A in such a manner that the hard rubber felly C will carrythe load when the vehicle is traveling over hard roads but the moment asoft piece of road is reached the auxiliary tires or traction surfaces13 B will assist to carry the load and avert the danger of the wheelpressing deeply into the soil.

To avert the danger of the spokes getting loose and screwing back intothe thimbles G I place upon each one of the spokes a jam nut Gr designedto act against the end of the corresponding thimble.

9 represents the hollow of the flange F, which is open from the lowerend of the thimbles G to the axletree as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3.

The groove C, in the center of the hard rubber tire C, is designed toallow the lower surface of the tire to expand or spread sidewise whenweight is placed upon the periphcry of the tire, and thus force thesides 0 0 solidly into the grooves a a in the sides of the tire or rimA, which assists greatly in averting the danger of the rubber tire slipping or creeping in these grooves, and to further avert this danger anyof the well known means or devices in use for the purpose, may beapplied.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States, 1s:

1. In combination, a wheel hub having a hollow flange thereon, thimblesradiating therefrom and screw threaded in the inner surface, spokeshaving one end screw threaded on the outer surface to engage the screwthread in the thimbles before mentioned, an internally threaded cup atthe other end of the spoke, a wheel rim having the periphery open andlateral slots therein, a felly having thimbles projecting inward andscrew threaded to engage the cups on the spokes, an annular steel tiresuspended within the rim, springs for supporting the steel tire, and ahard rubber tire supported by the steel tire and having wings engagingthe lateral slots in the rim, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. In combination, a wheel hub having radiating thimbles screw threadedon the inner surface, spokes screw-threaded on the outer-surface toengage the screw thread in the thimbles, and jam nuts connect-edtherewith; a hollow rim open around the periphery and having lateralgrooves, thimbles projecting in from the rim and screwthreaded, cups onthe ends of the spokes screw threaded to engage the thimbles on the rim,an annular steel tire within the rim, a spiral spring projecting fromthe end of each spoke and supporting the steel tire, and a hard rubbertire supported in the grooves in the rim and by the steel tire, andhaving a deep groove the entire length of its inner surface.

3. In combination with the hub and folly of a vehicle wheel an annularrim secured to each side of the folly, each rim constructed to form agroove at its inner side, an annular spring metal tire supported betweenthe rims with its outer surface in alinement with the inner walls of thegrooves, springs for supporting the metal tire, a flexible tireencircling the metal tire and having wings projecting from its sides toenter the grooves in the rims and be forced firmly therein by pressureon its periphery, and removable spokes ei'lgaging the hub and the telly.

l. in combination, a hub having radiating thimbles screw threadedinside, and open to the center of the hub, a hollow rim having sidegrooves, thimbles projecting in from the rim, spokes having screwthreads on the outer surface at one end to engage the screw threads inthe thimbles on the hub and provide for longitudinal movement, cups atthe other end screw threaded inside to en gage the screw threads on thethimbles on the rim, a resilient tire supported in the rim, and anauxiliary traction tire each side of the resilient the substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Lansing Michigan April 23d 1907.

ABLE N H AR-VE Y TO WLE.

